Otherwise, the Patriots' No. 1 cornerback characterized his clashes with Brown as "normal battling" and competing on the field.

The two went head-to-head for much of Sunday's game, a 17-10 Pittsburgh win that saw Brown catch four passes for 49 yards and a touchdown on seven targets. His score came against Jason McCourty in coverage.

Brown and Gilmore did not tangle again after their first-half snap that required them to be split up by referees. Post-game, Gilmore complimented Brown by calling him one of the NFL's best wide receivers.

"It was fun. He's one of the best receivers today. One thing that he's good at -- it's not his routes -- but his timing ... when he makes his move," Gilmore said. "He's very good at it."